Clamp for guy wires and the like



June 30, 1953 K. c. JENNE CLAMP FOR GUY WIRES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept.5, 1951 Patented June 30, 1953 CLAMP FOR GUY WIRES AND THE LIKE KennethC. Jenne, Branford, Conn., assignor to Malleable Iron Fittings Company,Branford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 5,1951, Serial No. 245,209

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in clamps for guy wires,and the like, and in particular is an improvement of the guy clampdisclosed in my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,327,307, granted August 17,1943, an object of the invention being to increase the effectiveness ofthe clamp in its clamping action upon a guy strand of cable twistedwires by eliminating, or reducing as much as possible, the spreading orflattening out of the strand. under compression. When such spreading orflattening out occurs there is a loss in compression and a consequentreduction in the clamping effect, as well as a distortion of the strandwires out of their normal cable twisted relation.

The guy clamp as disclosed in this patent, and more particularly theembodiment thereof illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 thereof, consists of aclamping body or separator block interposed between the load and tailsides of the looped end of a guy strand, 2. U-bOlt having its bightportion clampingly engaged with the tail side of the guy strand with itsside legs extending at each side of the separator block to the loadside, and a clamping plate engaged upon the side legs and clampinglyengaged with the load side of the guy strand through tightening of nutsscrewed upon the side legs. The unusual holding power of this guy clampis due to its ability to exert a continuing and increasing force on theguy strand at its lead and tail sides as the load increases, this forceresulting from the fact that the U-bclt is arranged for relative tiltingmovement which produces in effect a come along grip; that is, as thepull on the load side tends to pull the clamping plate in the directionof the load the pull on the tail side tends to swing the bight of theU-loolt in opposite direction so that the distance between the clampingplate and the bight decreases and the cornpressive clamping effect uponthe load and tall sides of the guy strand is increased.

The clamping plate is provided with a straight longitudinal clampinggroove opposed to a similar groove in the separator block, so thatrelatively long clamping surfaces are provided for clamping engagementwith the load side of the strand, with relatively little tendency toflatten out the strand between these clamping surfaces. However, thebight of the Ubolt, which extends transversely across the tail side ofthe strand, has a relatively small area of contact with the strand, and,having a radius substantially larger than the radius of the maximum sizestrand for which the clamp is designed, has a natural tendency toflatten the strand, thus producing a distorted area. It is proposed inthe present invention to eliminate, or reduce as much as possible, thetendency of the strand to flatten out under the bight of the U-bolt byproviding upwardly extending projections upon the separator block,longitudinally at each side of the U-bolt, and transversely at each sideof the strand receiving clamping groove, and which closely support thestrand against flattening at each side of the U-bolt so that theintermediate portion engaged by the bight of the U-bolt between thesupported portions is also supported against flattening.

The upwardly extending projections also have the additional function ofidentifying the side of the separator block for engagement with the tailside of the strand, and, as they are also incapable, because of theirheight, of proper clamping cooperation in reverse position, with theclamping plate, it becomes impossible to assemble the separator block inimproper working relation. This is particularly important, as theclamping groove of the separator block, intended for engagement by thetail side of the strand in cooperation with the bight of the U-bolt, hasa depression or dip between its ends, so that as the bight of the U-boltis clampingly pressed upon the strand it is forced downwardly into thedepression to increase the holding effect, as distinguished from thestraight groove of the separator block intended for engagement by theload side of the strand. In the separator block, as disclosed in myabove referred to patent, the very slight difference in appearance ofthe indented groove for the tail side over the straight groove for theload side would very often result in the reverse assembly of theseparator block, particularly if the clamp is assembled by workmen inthe field, with the resulting impairment of the clamping effect at boththe load and the tail sides. This possibility of reverse assembly of theseparator block in working relation with the other parts of the clamp isprevented in the present improvement.

Another object is the provision of a pair of positioning projectionsupon each side of the separator block of the clamp for substantiallycentering the U-bolt in its non-tilted position, and which allow forincreased freedom in the tilting action. In particular, it is proposedto provide angular corners upon the. projections which ofier edge orline contact with the U- bolt, where actual contact between the U- boltand the projections occur, instead of the relatively large radiuscontact of the rounded projections as employed in the clamp of mypatent, and which limited the tilting action to a relatively smallangle. It is pointed out that in the normal operation of the clamp theU- bolt pivots in the space between the projections and actual contactbetween the U-bolt and the projections does not occur, such contactresulting from improper or non-central initial positioning of theU-bolt, uneven loading or excessive loading.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will behereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a guy wire clamp, according to theinvention, in engaged relation with the loop end of a guy strand shownlooped through the eye end of an anchor rod or the like, the clamp beingshown in its tightened relation with the load and tail sides of the guystrand with the U-bolt in its centralized nontilted position prior toimposition of load on the guy strand.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end view, wherein the guy wire is shown in vertical sectiontaken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the U-bolt of the clamp in a tiltedposition produced by imposition of load on the guy strand in thedirection indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view of the clamping body member orseparator block.

Fig. 6 is a view of the separator block partially in side elevation andpartially in vertical section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view.

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse section taken along the line 9--9 ofFig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a detail top plan view of the lower clamping plate member.

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the guy clamp, according to the exemplaryembodiment of the invention illustrated therein, comprises three mainparts, i. e., a U-bolt l0, having the lower portions of its side legsthreaded as at Illl and provided with tightening nuts l2l2, anintermediate clamping body or separator block [3, adapted to beinterposed between the load and tail sides of the loop end of a guystrand or the like 14, and a lower clamping plate member 15 retainedupon the side legs of the U-bolt by the nuts l2. The U-bolt is'adaptedto have tilting movement about a transverse axis intermediate the loadand tail sides of the guy strand in response to longitudinal pull uponthe guy wire and whereby the compressive clamping action of the bight ofthe U-bolt and the clamping plate upon the tail and load sides of theguy strand is increased as the load increases.

The intermediate clamping body or separator block I3 is in the form ofan elongated block provided in its upper surface with a groove [6 forreceiving the tail side of the guy strand, this groove being ofgenerally V-shape transversely to accommodate both the minimum andmaximum sized guy strands for which the clamp is designed, the base ofthe groove being concavely rounded to fit the minimum size strand andthe sides of the groove providing a trough to fit strand sizes up to themaximum. Longitudinally the groove is provided intermediate its endswith a dip or depression beneath and substantially concentric to thebight of the U-bolt, and into which the guy strand will be pressedthrough the compressive clamping action of the U-bolt. In the undersideof the clamping body there is provided a longitudinally extendingstraight groove l1, also of generally V-form transversely for receivingthe load side of the guy wire. At each side of the clamping body thereare provided projections l8|8 which define spaces centrally of itslength within whichthe legs of the U-bolt are positioned for relativetilting movement, this movement taking place about a transverse axis,which in the normal operation of the clamp is substantially centrallybetween the projections and centrally between the clamping grooves 16and IT.

The inner surfaces of the projections I8 are substantially straightbetween their upper and lower ends and diverge upwardly with respect toeach other, their lower ends each forming a relatively sharp corner 9with the lower end surface. These corners are substantially coincidentto a horizontal plane substantially centrally between the clampinggrooves 16 and [1, so that they are substantially in horizontal linewith the approximate tilting axis of the U-bolt. The corners 19 arespaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the diameter ofthe side legs of the U-bolt, and thus substantially centralize the U-bolt in its vertical position, as shown in Fig. 1, when the nuts aretightened to apply compressive clamping force upon the guy wire. At thesame time there is sufficient clearance at each side of the U-bolt topermit free tilting movement thereof which occurs as load is applied tothe guy wire in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4. Thedivergent angle of the inner surfaces of the projections is determinedwith respect to the maximum position of tilt to which it is considereddesirable to allow the U-bolt to move under extreme load conditions, theangle being such that in such maximum tilted position of the U-bolt, theU-bolt will lie in parallel engagement with the inner surface of oneprojection and will engage the corner I9 of the other projection. Thisextreme tilted position is also calculated so that the lower clampingplate [5 is held against movement beyond the end of the clamping bodymember. Transversely, the upwardly divergent surfaces of the projectionsI8 curve into the side surfaces of the clamping body between theprojections, these side surfaces being upwardly convergent and slightlyspaced from the side legs of the U-bolt in the clamped position so thatthere is no frictional interference with the tilting action thereof.

The upper ends of the projections are extended upwardly at each side ofthe groove [6 to a height calculated as being slightly above thehorizontal diametric plane of the largest diameter guy strand which canbe accommodated in the groove 16, the inner surfaces of the upwardlyprojecting ends providing upward continuations of the groove 16 whichclosely conform to the side surfaces of the guy wire. Thus, the guy wireis confined and supported against flattening contiguously at each sideof the clamped portion of the guy strand beneath the bight of the U-bolt, and therefore the clamped portion is effectually sustained againstflattening. It is pointed out in this respect that the radius of thebight of the U-bolt is substantially greater than the diameter of theguy strand, and that the upper edges 20 of the side walls of the groove16 between the projections are substantially below the horizontaldiametric plane of the guy wire, in order to provide the necessaryclearance for the clamping and tilting action of the U-bolt, so that, inthe absence of the sustaining support provided by the upper ends of theprojections, the relatively large radius of the U-bolt would allowsubstantial flattening of the clamped portion of the guy strand to takeplace.

The lower clamping plate member I5 is provided centrally of its upperside with a longitudinal wire receiving groove 2! of shallow V-shape incross-section and disposed in complementary opposed relation to thelower groove [1 of the clamping body. The upper surface of the plate isinclined downwardly at each side of the groove 2|, as at 22-22, and isprovided with vertically extending holes 23-43, through which the sidelegs of the U-bolt extend in loose relation,'the diameter of these holesbeing sufficiently larger than the diameter of the side legs of theU-bolt to permit the latter to assume a tilted position, as shown inFig. 3, while the lower clamping plate remains parallel to the lowerside of the clamping body. Preferably the holes 23 are tapered, so thatthey converge downwardly to allow for the maximum tilting of the U-boltwith minimum longitudinal displacement of the clamping plate withrespect to the U-bolt.

The lower side of the clamping plate is provided with convex cylindricalbearing surfaces 24 2 1 in surrounding relation to the lower ends of theholes 22 to provide for the firm engagement of the nuts 12 therewith insubstantial line with the axis of the side legs of the U-bolt, the

radius center of the cylindrical surfaces 24 being substantiallyco-incident to the approximate pivotal axis of the U-bolt. The nuts havetheir chamfered sides in engagement with the bearing surfaces for bettertilting engagement therewith. The longitudinal dimension of the lowerclamping plate is less than the longitudinal dimension of the clampingbody member l3, so that at any degree of tilt of the U-bolt the clampinggroove of the lower clamping plate will remain in opposed relation tothe clamping groove I! of the clamping body throughout its length.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp for guy wires, and the like, comprising a U-bolt formed ofcircular cross-section stock having a bight at its upper end and sidelegs threaded at their lower ends, a nut screwed upon each of saidthreaded ends, a clamping body member disposed between the legs of saidU-bolt having at its upper side an upper guy strand receiving grooveopposed to the bight of y 6 said U-bolt, and having at its lower side alower guy strand receiving groove, a lower clamping plate engaged uponthe legs of said U -bolt above said nuts and having at its upper side aguy strand receiving clamping groove opposed to said lower groove ofsaid clamping body member, two transversely aligned pairs ofprojections, one pair on each side of said body member, each said pairhaving upwardly diverging longitudinally opposed surfaces definingbetween them a space within which a leg of said U-bolt is pivotallymovable about a transverse axis to swing the bight of the U-bolt from acentral position in one direction or the other toward said upper groove,the convergent ends of said surfaces being longitudinally spaced apart adistance slightly greater than the cross-sectional diameter of the legof said U-bolt engaged therebetween, whereby said U-bolt issubstantially centered thereby, and said projections having upper endportions extended upwardly to points above the base of said upper groovewith their inner surfaces constituting upward extensions of a side ofsaid upper groove, said extensions of the transversely aligned pairs ofprojections being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to thediameter of the maximum diameter of strand receivable in said groove andbeing of a height above the base of said upper groove at least equal tothe radius dimension of. said strand, whereby as said U-bolt is tiltedin one direction or the other its bight moves toward the space betweenthe transversely aligned projections at one side or the other of saidU-bolt and said guy strand is pressed by the bight of the U-bolt betweensaid projections and is transversely supported by said projectionsagainst flattening,

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower ends of saiddivergent surfaces form relatively sharp corners with the lower ends ofsaid projections and are disposed substantially in the centralhorizontal plane of said body member.

KENNETH C. JENNE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,233,366 Keatcr July 17, 1917 1,373,800 Crosby Apr. 5, 19211,584,848 Clowes May 18, 1926 1,667,345 Cummins Apr. 24, 1928 1,811,154Reilly June 23, 1931 1,905,967 Milne Apr. 25, 1933 2,182,151 HofmannDec. 5, 1939 2,327,307 Jenne Aug. 17, 19 13 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 371,068 Italy May 10, 1939

